1 And Job answered and said,2 Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with *God?3 If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?5 Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;6 Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;7 Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;9 Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;10 Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see {him} not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.12 Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?13 +God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:14 How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words {to strive} with him?15 Whom, though I were righteous, {yet} would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.16 If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, -17 He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.18 He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.19 Be it a question of strength, lo, {he is} strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?20 If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.21 Were I perfect, {yet} would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.22 It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.23 If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.24 The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked {man}; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?25 And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.26 They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my {sad} countenance, and brighten up,28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.29 Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?30 If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,31 Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.33 There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,35 {Then} I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

1 Maar Job het geantwoord en gesê:2 Waarlik, ek weet dat dit so is; en hoe kan 'n mens regverdig wees by God?3 As hy sou begeer om met Hom te twis, nie een uit duisend sal hy Hom kan antwoord nie.4 Hy is wys van hart en sterk van krag; wie was hardnekkig teen Hom en het ongestraf gebly?5 Hy wat berge versit sonder dat hulle dit merk; wat hulle omkeer in sy toorn;6 wat die aarde laat sidder uit sy plek, sodat sy pilare dril;7 wat bevel gee aan die son, en hy gaan nie op nie, en die sterre agter 'n seël wegsluit;8 wat alleen die hemel uitspan en stap op die golwe van die see;9 wat die Beer gemaak het, die Or¡on en die Sewe-ster en die Kamers van die Suide;10 wat groot, ondeurgrondelike dinge doen en wonders sonder getal.11 Gaan Hy by my langs, dan sien ek Hom nie, en Hy skuif verby sonder dat ek Hom bemerk.12 Sleep Hy weg -- wie sal Hom teëhou? Wie vir Hom sê: Wat maak U?13 God wend sy toorn nie af nie; onder Hom moet die helpers van Rahab kruip.14 Hoeveel minder sal ,k Hom kan antwoord, sal ek my woorde kan kies teenoor Hom;15 Hom wat ek nie kan antwoord nie, al was ek regverdig: ek kan my regter net om genade smeek!16 As ek dagvaar en Hy my antwoord, glo ek nie dat Hy na my stem sal luister nie.17 Hy wat my deur 'n stormwind sou vernietig en my wonde sonder oorsaak sou vermeerder;18 my nie sou toelaat om asem te skep nie, maar my sou versadig met bitterhede.19 Kom dit aan op die krag van die sterkste -- hier is Ek! En kom dit op reg aan -- wie kan My dagvaar?20 Al was ek regverdig, my eie mond sou my veroordeel; al was ek onskuldig, Hy sou my as 'n verkeerde reken.21 Vroom is ek! Ek gee niks om myself nie: ek verfoei my lewe!22 Dit is net eenders -- daarom sê ek: Die vrome en die goddelose vernietig Hy.23 As die g,sel skielik doodmaak, spot Hy met die vertwyfeling van die onskuldiges.24 Die aarde is aan die mag van die goddelose oorgelewer, die gesig van die regters bind Hy toe. Is dit nie Hy nie, wie dan anders?25 Ja my dae was gouer as 'n hardloper; hulle het weggevlug sonder om voorspoed te sien.26 Hulle het verbygegly soos skepe van biesies, soos 'n arend wat neerskiet op sy prooi.27 As ek sê: Ek wil my geklaag vergeet, my droewige gesig laat vaar en vrolik word,28 dan is ek al bang vir al my smarte: ek weet dat U my nie sal vryspreek nie.29 Ek sal tog skuldig wees -- waarom sal ek my dan tevergeefs afmat?30 Al was ek my met sneeu en reinig ek my hande met loog,31 dan sou U my in 'n poel indompel, sodat my klere van my 'n afsku kry.32 Want Hy is nie 'n man soos ek, dat ek Hom sou kan antwoord, dat ons saam na die gereg sou kan gaan nie.33 Daar is geen skeidsregter tussen ons wat sy hand op ons twee kan lê nie.34 Laat Hy sy roede van my wegneem, en laat sy verskrikking my nie beangstig nie;35 dan wil ek spreek sonder dat ek vir Hom bevrees is; want so is dit met my nie gesteld nie.